Five people protesting against a proposed pipeline going through their land could face jail when Shell today seek their committal for failure to observe a court injunction.
Shell E&P Ireland is seeking the High Court order over the protesters - four landowners and supporter from Co Mayo - failure to allow preparatory work for the laying of a pipeline from the Corrib gas field.
Last week Shell was granted an injunction preventing the five from obstructing access to its compound at Rossport, Co Mayo.
One of the five, retired school teacher Micheál Ó Seighin (65), has had a coronary by-pass. Mr Ó Seighin and landowners Philip and Vincent McGrath, Brendan Philbin and Willie Corduff are expected to travel to court today. The group has already tried unsuccessful legal action to halt the pipeline route, which comes within 70 metres of residences.
The protesters say Shell does not have ministerial permission to carry out the works, that an independent safety assessment has not been carried out and that the pipeline would present a safety threat.
Minister for the Marine Noel Dempsey is due to issue a new review of the quantified risk assessment carried out for the onshore pipeline, linking the gas field to the terminal under construction at Bellanaboy, before giving consent for the pipeline's installation and commissioning.